Hitherto Dr. Bose detected the various excitatory effects of plants by
means of _mechanical response_. Being now confronted with opposition, he
turned his attention to the finding of corroboration of the various
results, which he had already obtained, by some other method of
investigation. And for this he employed the method of _electric
response_. He found that the results obtained by this new method of
inquiry corroborated those already obtained by him by the old method.
Emboldened by this corroboration, he next proceeded to extend this new
method of inquiry by means of _electric response_ into the field of
Animal Physiology with a view to explain responsive phenomena in general
on the consideration of that fundamental molecular reaction which occurs
even in inorganic matter.'[21]